15 Recipes to Make Before You Die

15 recipes to make before you die...

This article highlights the obvious... recipes they recommend making before you die. So I immediately reacted. "Ok you win Mr. Article!! You caught my attention!!" So let's take a look and see just how well they chose foods that I think I should make.
1. Yeast Bread- Yes, I do think everyone should make a homemade loaf of bread at some point in their life. If not for just the amazing smell and taste that comes as a result, but because while you are making it, try to imagine having to do this EVERY SINGLE TIME you wanted bread back in the "dark ages." Having an appreciation for Wonder Bread never hurt a person.

2. Beef Tenderloin Steaks- OMG YES!! Ok, I already make this (usually on the Saturday night after my kids have gone to their dad's for the weekend) for myself but I can't describe just how amazing a perfectly cooked and flavored tenderloin steak tastes. It's probably the closest thing to the deed that I can compare. Sorry, but I love me some red meat. This particular recipe adds the wonderful flavor of bleu cheese that I have not yet incorporated into my once a month beef tenderloin routine. This must be remedied my friends. Pronto!

3. Cream pie- No way!! Really??? I JUST printed off a recipe for a homemade chocolate pie and am anxious to try it. Normally, my pies are made like this:
step 1- buy frozen pie crust
step 2- buy jello pudding mix
step 3- combine until edible

This recipe in the link is for a Pie-O-Neer Coconut Cream Meringue Pie which I would make and eat wholeheartedly.

4. Creme Brulee- Ok, any recipe that calls for a torch is probably a no-go in my book. I know, you are thinking "I can certainly agree, Linda, that having kids and torches do not go hand in hand." WRONG!! Linda + Torches do not go hand in hand. 'Nuff said.

5. Fudge- Oh glory be to he who invented fudge!! Well, "She" as we all know it had to be a woman who invented it. Oh lover of chocolate, mistress to creamy smoothness... yes, I think making fudge is a must. However, I must disagree with the author that I must use a candy thermometer. Instead, I feel that there are enough amazing recipes on allrecipes.com that I do not need to obsess over a temperature in my fudgemaking. Let's be honest folks. The most important part about making fudge is getting it made so you can eat it. Do I hear an "amen?"

6. Cream Puffs- Creme Brulee, Cream Pies, Creamy Fudge?? I think I sense a pattern here in this article. Don't cream puffs sound amazing as a brunch snack for a group of bookclub memebers?? I think making a pastry of any sort is a must in baking, and cream puffs seem like just a good of a choice as any don't you think?

7. Crown Roast- Am I the only person who has never heard of this?? It's certainly "pretty" but I don't know where I would even begin to buy such a piece of meat. This recipe/picture screams one thing to me.... A HUGE WASTED EFFORT ON MY CHILDREN. I already know that it would turn out beautifullly and my kids would still fuss and whine and ask "what is it?" "do I have to eat it?" "can I just make a PB&J sandwich instead?" and then I'll have to throw the crown roast at them and cry. Also, any recipe with more than 4 words in the title is ridiculous to me. Sorry Maple and Calvados-Glazed Pork Crown Roast with Apple-Chestnut Puree.

8. Fried Chicken- Was there a special class for girls back in the 50s where they taught them all how to make killer fried chicken? Cause once the Woman's Movement came around, the only place I can seem to get good fried chicken is at any home of a woman who was born in the 40s-50s. I can't do it!! Why is good 'ol Fried Chicken so hard to make 'just right?' I refuse to give up the attempts and hope that one day I'll figure it out. This article includes a recipe to Mama's Fried Chicken... how they got my mama's recipe, I don't know... but I'll give it a go. Again.

9. Roux- So I click on the link and I see a big bowl of shimpy nastiness. (My apologies to the Southern readers) I'm not sure what I expected to see exactly, perhaps a nice bowl of roux? Anywho, so I do have to agree with the author that knowing how to make a nice roux is important. It's a basis for any gravy and helps you actually understand more about using a "base" in your cooking. As my dad and I have been doing for years now...you'll never make a good homemade turkey gravy from scratch at Thanksgiving if you don't know how to make the roux. So roux it up people. And don't worry... throwing out 10 skillets of bad roux is normal.

10. Pasta and Cream Sauce- There it is again! That word!! CREAM!! This reminds me of what my friend Shannon seems to keep mentioning on Facebook about her buttered noodles she's so fond of lately. Except this seems like one step further, but I bet it has the same personal satisfation as buttered noodles. Dieters might want to skip this recipe... or any of the recipes on this list for that matter. LOL

11. Turkey and Gravy- Call me old fashioned, but I think all girls should have to cook a traditional Thanksgiving Day Turkey meal at some point in their lives. It's a lot of long hours and hard work, but listening to your kids and guests moan "I'm sooooo hungry" and "It smells soooo good in here" is just priceless. Speaking of roux, here's an opportunity to put those new roux skills to the test. As for cooking the turkey?? Ha ha ha... good luck. You are on your own (well, you DO have a recipe). I have used the directions on the outside of my turkey wrapping for mine for years and it works just fine.

12. Chocolate Pudding- Yeah, Jell-O brand pudding is good enough for the kids, but sometimes it's nice to really try your own. Just make sure you do it for some adults too. They might appreciate it more. The kids will just inhale it in 2 seconds and you'll be wiping half of your bittersweet chocolate right off their little faces.

13. Layer Cake- A.k.a chocolate cake not from a box. I will give my boss kudos on this... she makes a KICKBUTT cake. Any cake. Homemade layer cakes > box cakes any day of the week. Impress your co-workers. Trust me. They will love you. (And bring the extra frosting in a container too...I think I might know a few people who'll eat it!)

14. Souffle- Eh? What is souffle? A dessert? A brunch dish? Is it a main food or a side? Even I'm not sure. Apparently this article doesn't answer that question, but it does claim it's easy but usually best if eaten immediately. Sorry, co-workers. No souffles for you. Regardless, it might be worth a try so I can say that I didn't die before making a souffle. Classic Cheese Soufflé

15. Chicken Stock- I am going to amend this and say Chicken Soup. People. Listen to me. You must be able to make a homemade chicken noodle soup. It's so good. It's comfort food. It's good for you. It's flexible. Do it. Do it NOW! (Spoken in my best Arnold Schwarzenegger voice).

So there you have it. Myrecipes.com's list of 15 recipes to make before you die. And since you never know when that might be... I'd get started soon if I were you!